I left the bar that evening and drove home in a complete daze. Sarah met me at the back door and I had to feign illness to explain my physical state. I went to my study and closed the door and stared at the wall for over an hour before Sarah came in to check on me and brought some tea.
"Honey, what's wrong? Are you getting a cold?" Sarah asked in that voice that had always melted me.
"I'll be okay just feeling a bit off." I lied trying to assure her so I could return to my brooding.
Sarah stroked my hair before silently leaving, closing the door softly behind her. I couldn't reconcile Malcolm's descriptions to the sweet loving wife that I knew but for some strange reason I knew his information was true.
Thinking back, certain things held together with Malcolm's story. After Sarah and I had gotten back together, there remained a distance between us and we did not become intimate again for months. I thought it was her punishing me and making me regain her trust but it seems in fact that she was instead carrying on a torrid sexual affair with Malcolm. Then there was the pregnancy. A man impregnating another man's woman is almost like castration. I would have to look at Sarah for the rest of my life knowing another man was the first to fill her womb.
Then there was the exhibitionism. Thinking back on our life together, there had been times that Sarah had acted a bit risquΓ©. Things like selecting a very revealing bikini, wanting to have sex with the window open at the beach or having her nipples poking through a thin top came to mind. In all these cases, I stopped her and told her my wife shouldn't act so bold. Were these signs of the hidden desires Malcolm had found?
The next week was difficult. I felt betrayed and humiliated and wondered what I really knew about my wife. Were there others? Was I in fact an unwitting cuckold as Sarah jumped from bed to bed?
Sarah sensed something was wrong but certainly wouldn't think I had uncovered her college affair after all these years. She remained concerned about my well being and tried to be loving and intimate but in my state I turned her down repeatedly. I also turned down her offers to talk which caused her to become frustrated.
At first, I didn't want anything more to do with Malcolm and ignored his repeated attempts to contact me. His news had wrecked my world. But, after a few weeks I found that I still had questions that were unresolved and that old feeling of obsession came back. I responded to one of his email and suggested we meet again knowing I had to see his face while he gave out the information even if it was painful. Malcolm replied the next day that he could meet the following day at the bar.
I got there first and went to the same table and waited for almost an hour until he arrived. After saying our hellos and ordering drinks I began asking questions. Fortunately, this time I was emotionally prepared and stayed in control.
"Malcolm, I've thought a lot about what you told me and I guess that some of it may be true but some of it I don't believe. You know it's important to me that I get the truth with no exaggeration. You seem like a decent guy so please tell me the truth." I said trying to sound condescending.
"Everything I told you was true." He said with no emotion which disturbed me.
"I'm sorry but I just don't see Sarah giving herself so completely and easily to you. She was raised well and she has always been in love with me." I challenged him.
"So, what's your questions?" He said now annoyed.
"How many times were you with her?" I started.
"I told you it went on for a couple months I don't remember the number of times. It was a lot." He replied.
"How come no one ever saw you or told me? She had a roommate and back then a white girl with a black man was a big deal. I would have heard something." I asked quickly.
"Dude, you don't get it. There were places all over town for football players to take girls to fuck. We fucked in her apartment when her roommate was gone too." He explained.
"And I'm supposed to believe you dumped her? That you impregnated her up and told her to get lost?" I answered now getting a little emotional.
"Yeah, that's what I'm telling you. You see I that pussy was mine in every way. You only got her cause I gave her back to you when I was done." He said with a hard angry look.
Our discussion had escalated and become heated so quickly that my specific questions had been forgotten. I could tell that Malcolm had become extremely irritated and was now hitting his drink hard. He looked at me and I looked him in silence for almost a minute before he finally spoke.
"How sure are you of your feelings?" He asked smiling having seemingly regained his composure.
"I'm sure." I answered even though I was not sure at all.
"Then why don't you arrange Sarah and me to meet and we'll see what happens." He replied leaning back in his chair and looking proud of himself.
I sat there in stunned silence his suggestion hitting me completely cold. I knew that if I declined he would have proved his point. Conversely, I was not as sure of my position as I had tried to appear and was nervous about the potential impact.
"What's wrong asshole. Not so sure now?" He said goading me.
"I don't want her to have to re-live a bad memory." I replied weakly.
"Well I suppose you would find out pretty quick if it's bad." He laughed. When I didn't reply he continued. "You just tell me next time she is going out without you to a club or restaurant with friends and I'll show up. Let's see what happens or if she comes back and tells you." He suggested.
Malcolm knew he had me on the ropes and my inability to respond only fueled his arrogance.
"Cat got your tongue? Not sure of things now I see?" He poked at me.
The bastard had boxed me in and he knew it.
"I'll think about it." Was my lame reply.
"Well you do that now boy. But next time you contact me it better be with a time and location. I'm a busy man." He said laughing openly.